Observations on Tasmanian Statistics. So 



1849. In 1851 the increase was too trifling to deserve 

 notice. In 1852 the amount had increased to £621,419, or 

 160 percent, upon 1850. In 1853 it had still further in- 

 creased to £1,375,352, or more than double the sum in 1852- 

 By way of contrast it may be stated that in 1 844 there was 

 scarcely more than one- tenth of the amount of specie in 

 circulation. 



The hills of exchange in the banks in 1853 represented 

 rather more than one million sterling, being 34 "6 per cent, 

 increase upon 1852, and showing a legitimate expansion of 

 business as compared with the increasing commerce of the 

 colony; the increase of 1852 upon 1851 having been only 

 1"4 per cent. 



The paper currency of the banks will show a corre- 

 sponding enlargement called for by the growing necessity 

 for meeting the demands of commerce. In 1850 the total 

 issue of the banks was £61,777 ; in 1851, £99,120 or 

 60 per cent. ; in 1852, £202,688 or 104 per cent. ; and in 

 1853 the issue increased to £246,532 or 21*6 per cent, upon 

 that of the preceding year. 



The aggregatedeposits in the banks in 1850 were £368,680; 

 in 1851 they increased to £503,330 or 36'5 per cent. ; in 

 1852 they had more than doubled, amounting to £l, 01:26,020 ; 

 and in 1853 had reached £1,876,112, or 82 8 per cent, 

 increase upon the year preceding. 



It will, perhaps, exhibit in a more clear and striking 

 light the degree of prosperity attained by the colony from 

 its proximity to the gold-fields, to state that the bank 

 deposits for 1853, divided by the total population, would 

 give £28 85. lOd. for each soul in the colony. This simple 

 fact would dispel every doubt, if any such existed, of the 

 sound and healthy character of the prosperity enjoyed by 



